Accreditation Level Standards

Multisensory Structured Language: What Is Taught

Phonology and Phonological Awareness

Phonology is the study of speech sounds and how they work within their environment. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a given language that can be recognized as being distinct from other sounds in the language. Phonological awareness is the understanding of the internal linguistic structure of words. An important aspect of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness or the ability to segment words into their component sounds.

Sound-symbol Association

This is the knowledge of the various sounds in the English language and their correspondence to the letters and combinations of letters which represent those sounds. Sound-symbol association must be taught (and mastered) in two directions: visual to auditory and auditory to visual. Additionally-students must master the blending of sounds and letters into words as well as the segmenting of whole words into the individual sounds.

Syllable Instruction

A syllable is a unit of oral or written language with one vowel sound. Instruction must include the teaching of the six basic types of syllables in the English language: closed-vowel-consonant-e-open-consonant-le-r-controlled-and diphthong or vowel pair. Syllable division rules must be directly taught in relation to the word structure.

Morphology

Morphology is the study of how morphemes are combined to form words. A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in the language. The curriculum must include the study of basewords-roots and affixes.

Syntax

Syntax is the set of principles that dictate the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey meaning. This includes grammar-sentence variation and the mechanics of language.

Semantics

Semantics is that aspect of the language concerned with meaning. the curriculum (from the beginning) must include instruction in the comprehension of written language.

Multisensory Structured Language: How It Is Taught

Simultaneous-Multisensory (VAKT)

Teaching is done using all learning pathways in the brain (visual-auditory-kinesthetic-tactile) simultaneously in order to enhance memory and learning.

Systematic and Cumulative

Multisensory language instruction requires that the organization of material follows the logical order of the language. The sequence must begin with the easiest and most basic elements and progress methodically to more difficult material. Each step must also be based on those already learned. Concepts taught must be systematically reviewed to strengthen memory.

Direct Instruction

The inferential learning of any concept cannot be taken for granted. Multisensory language instruction requires the direct teaching of all concepts with continuous student-teacher interaction.

Diagnostic Teaching

The teacher must be adept at prescriptive or individualized teaching. The teaching plan is based on careful and continuous assessment of the individual's needs. The content presented must be mastered to the degree of automaticity.

Synthetic and Analytic Instruction

Multisensory-structured language programs include both synthetic and analytic instruction. Synthetic instruction presents the parts of the language and then teaches how the parts work together to form a whole. Analytic instruction presents the whole and teaches how this can be broken down into its component parts.

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